Some time ago I suggested an idea “TFS/VSTS - 101 Pocket Guide ... Value-Add or Waste”, based on discussions and experiences in the field in the South-African region. The next Ranger projects idea submission and subsequent vote is imminent and I am contemplating to include the idea as:

Problem Domain:

The adoption of Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) and Team Foundation Server (TFS) has been slow with many of the development teams/companies who would/should benefit immensely from the technologies.

Many adoptions are of short duration or end with problematic implementations adding little value to the solution stakeholders.

It has become apparent that:

Most teams are either unaware of the TFS/VSTS capabilities.

Most teams are ill-equipped to investigate, implement and adopt the technologies in parallel to their already tight development milestones.

Most teams do not have the time or luxury to investigate technologies before they are shipped, often using products such as Visual Studio 2008 as a hammer, working no different to a Visual Studio 2003 or Visual Studio 2005 based environment.

Suggestion:

Create a series of 5-minute 101 reference, consisting of (one of for each VSTS|TFS section):

Convert the series to a softcopy handbook, if and only if, additional value can be generated by the additional effort. Definitely do'able before 2010 ships … if we start now.

Suggested Codename:

“eluleka” –> Zulu word for “advise, put right”

I would appreciate your feedback on the idea before the end of this week, so that I can finally submit a comprehensive proposal and one that would ensure a product that is valuable to you in the field. The poll is still open at http://zohopolls.com/wschaub/tfs-vsts-101-pocket-guide-value-add-or-waste as well, so please cast your vote … it is a few seconds, select a radio button type vote.

Thanks to everyone who has already given me extensive feedback and support for this idea! The communities and the VSTS MVPs “rock”!